Date: July 12, 2008
Author:

Baddeley battles back

A blistering round of 64 has ensured Aaron Baddeley is the leading Aussie at the John Deere Classic after two rounds on seven-under but he still trails leader Will MacKenzie by six strokes. Baddeley shot the equal-best round of the tournament to catapult himself from equal 90th spot into a share of 12th position heading into round three. The Australian began on the back nine and couldn&apost have asked for a better start to the day as he recorded an eagle at the 10th. He then proceeded to reel off seven birdies and a bogey in the next 16 holes to be eight-under but another bogey at the final hole robbed him of a sub-64 round. Aussie pair Nathan Green and Nick Flanagan are two strokes further back on five-under in a tie for 30th spot after hitting second rounds off 66 and 68 respectively at the par-71 course. MacKenzie, who began the day one shot back of Charlie Wi and Ken Duke, started on the back nine and birdied three of his opening eight holes and made four more on his final eight during his bogey-free round to surge to the top of the leaderboard with a seven-under 64. The American moved to 13-under for the tournament, two strokes ahead of Wi (67), Kenny Perry (66) and Eric Axley (66). MacKenzie has endured a wretched year, missing the cut in eight of 12 events and breaking 70 just six times entering this tournament. However, he built upon the momentum from his opening-round 65 by matching the best score of the tournament. Conversely, Perry, who is in the midst of one of the best stretches of his career, had a chance to grab a share of the lead but bogeyed the 18th following a stretch of six birdies in nine holes. However, he still signed for his 10th consecutive round in the 60s. In his last six events, the 47-year-old Perry has two wins, a play-off loss and a tie for sixth place. Wi, who used an eagle to gain a share of the first-round lead, ripped off four birdies in his first 12 holes before his lone bogey of the tournament at the 14th hole. Axley also is looking to turn around a rough year that has seen him miss 10 of 20 cuts. Brad Adamonis, who fired a five-under 66, is in third place at 10-under for the tournament. Adamonis made a late charge with consecutive birdies at holes 14, 15 and 16. England&aposs Brian Davis also made a move up the leaderboard, carding a 66 to sit alone at nine-under 133. Duke got off to a solid start with birdies at the fourth and fifth holes, but he stumbled with three bogeys the rest of the way for a one-over 72 to fall seven shots back at six-under 136. Another clump of Aussies sits a shot further back from Green and Flanagan with David Lutterus, Gavin Coles, Jason Day and Andrew Buckle all on four-under 138 heading into the second half of the tournament. Second Round of The John Deere Classic (Par 71): -13: Will McKenzie 65 64 -11: Charlie Wi 64 67, Kenny Perry 65 66, Eric Axley 65 66 -10: Brad Adamonis 66 66 -9: Brian Davis 67 66 -8: Chad Campbell 67 67, Jeff Gove 66 68, Scott Sterling 67 67, Harrison Frazar 69 65, Patrick Sheehan 66 68 -7: Vaughn Taylor 68 67, Dean Wilson 68 67, Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 71 64, J.P. Hayes 67 68, Pat Perez 67 68, Tim Petrovic 69 66, Bob Sowards 69 66, Garrett Willis 65 70, Kirk Triplett 68 67, Jonathan Byrd 67 68, Nicholas Thompson 67 68, John Riegger 68 67, Jeff Overton 67 68, Chez Reavie 67 68 Also: -5: Nathan Green (Australia) 71 66, Nick Flanagan (Australia) 69 68 -4: David Lutterus (Australia) 68 70, Gavin Coles (Australia) 68 70, Jason Day (Australia) 71 67, Andrew Buckle (Australia) 72 66 -2: Steve Allan (Australia) 70 70, John Senden 72 68 +1: Matt Jones (Australia) 74 69 +3: Peter Lonard (Australia) 68 77 +4: Mark Hensby (Australia) 72 74